Title: Faking It
Series Info: Losing It #2
Author: Cora Carmack
Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.
Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.
5 HEARTS!
Plot: 50 points
Let's start with this....
I LOVED IT!!!
To be completely honest, I forgot about Cade from Carmack's first book in the series, Losing It. I didn't realize this book was connected to the first book! What a great continuation to a great first book! I really liked the first book, and even though this book had a vastly different plot, I loved it, too!
Cade and Max both have very emotional pasts that they are trying to escape from. Cade basically decides not to beg for anything after losing Bliss, and he tries instead to just be perfect (so he won't have to beg...). Max is just angry with her 'perfect' family for not accepting her for who she is, and wanting her to be more like her sister. So Cade wants to be perfect, and Max wants to be anything but! This is something I can totally resonate with. Every one uses different emotional responses in order to prevent them from feeling emotions they'd rather not face. Well, maybe not everyone, but I have! Like Cade, I too have tried to be perfect to avoid rejection. And like Max, I too have wanted nothing more than for my family to just accept me as I am. And yes...I have even made myself fake to please them at times. Those are things that, as an adult, you have to learn to grow out of. We have to be ourselves because at the end of the day, happiness comes from having a spirit of freedom. As Cade and Max get to know each other, they help each other grow up and love themselves and each other, and achieve that feeling of spiritual freedom :)
That is what makes this plot so beautiful...it is tied into the reality of every young adult's life. I think just about anyone can find part of the plot that will strike home with them!
Characters: 19 points
Max: First I want to say that I actually LOVE the name Mackenzie, but not the name Max. Max was kind of a disappointing nickname for me, but I get that it's supposed to reflect her personality better. Am I sounding like her family? Oh my...LOL. But really...maybe Kenzie? Or even just Zee LOL.
Anyways...back to what matters, I really like Max! I also resonate with the way that she is afraid to get too close to something she loves in fear that she will lose it. That feeling of being 'poison' and being destructive to everyone and everything around you. But I love that Max is able to respond to her family's idea of 'lack of perfection' with her own individuality. At least when she isn't hanging out with them. Most people would be afraid to go against their family's ideal of perfection. I am!!! Everyday I face that fear...but she still allows herself to be unique when she's not around them.
Cade: Cade is just....adorable. There really is no other way to put it. I honestly like him better than Garrick from Losing It! I mean, I definitely think he's cuter, even without the British accent! LOL. Cade is what I would call ....passionate. He's passionate about his feelings, about his career, about helping others, and eventually about Max. He puts his whole heart and soul into everything. The way he cares for Max and wants to wrap her in a cocoon of protection; the way he looks at her and longs to see her comfortable in her own skin; the way he takes in what everyone else might consider abominations, and considers them as beautiful and intricate parts of Max's identity. It's truly breathtaking the way he is enamored by her from the beginning! And the whole elaborate roll he plays pretending to be Max's boyfriend is just perfect. So, SO....ADORABLE! Like I said...there is no other way to put it :)
Writing/Depth: 30 points
The humor in this book is so great that I couldn't stand to put the book down because I kept wanting more! The thanksgiving prayer was so funny that I literally burst out laughing! Believe me...I got some weird looks from my mom when she came in my room to see what was so funny. LOL
But aside from the humor, I experienced the full depth of every emotion in this book. Heartache, longing, anxiety, fear, passion (lots of this!), love, sympathy, worry, anger, embarrassment, affection (lots of this, too!), arousal (and this!!!), courage, envy, guilt, happiness, trust...seriously, just look up "Emotion" on wikipedia and look at the list! It's all here and written at its finest!! Carmack did an amazing job, just as she did with the first book. I'm guaranteed to like the next book coming out in October, Finding It.
Please Guys...go buy this book! It will be one of the best gifts you ever gave yourself! :)
Just a side note: There IS some pretty intense sexual content, so teens should be cautious. Not a whole lot..but one or two pretty intimate scenes. I still think it's pretty "Young Adult" enough for the label, although New Adult may be more appropriate.
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